Compressible track-ramp.



E. M. JONES.

COMPRESSIBLE TRACK RAMP.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR.'9,1912.

Patented Feb. 28, 1915.

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OOMPRESSIBLB TRACK RAMP.

APPLIGATION FILED MAR.9,1912.

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WITNESSES Q-Mm wM/MZM L int snares rattan 3L1. JONES, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, ASSIGNUR T J ONES SIGIWEL SYSTEM COMPANY, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA, A CORPORATION QF GEORGIA.

COMPRESSIBLE TRACK-RAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23%, 11915.

Application filed March 9, 1912. :Serial No. 682,730.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, ELMER M. Jones, a citizen of the United States, residing at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and btate of Georgia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in'Compressible Track- Ramps, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

My prior application #628,832, filed May 22, 1911, shows, describes and claims an automatic trainstop wherein there are two adjacent operating devices alongthe trackway, the first adapted to invariably initiate the application-of a brake on the train passing over such device, and-the second controllable to prevent the application being eflective by counteracting such-application, or

not, according to conditions in the track ahead. In that application the first device is a stationary ramp, which is engaged by an operating lever to open the air valve on the locomotive, and thesecond device is a movable ramp which may engage the resetting lever to immediately close the air valve or may be moved by suitable mechanism to a position out of the path of such lever. Such a mechanism is very effective in accomplishing the result desired. However,

it is further desirable to provide means whereby any portion of the train inadvertently striking the first ramp will not break that ramp or be itself broken bysuch engagement. W

The object of the present invention isto provide a track operating device having the last mentioned characteristic in addition to the'general method of operation of my prior application referred to. To that end- I make the initiating or brake applyingramp of the present application of suchcharacter that it is stationary so far as the brake applying lever of the locomotive. is concerned, but may be automatically moved out of the way in case-it should be inadvertentlyengaged by any part of 'the'train, and

a I provide suitable mechanism and electric switches so arranged that, in case the displaced initiating ramp should, for any reason, fail to return to normalposition, all

the adjoiningsignals and automatic stops will be held in danger position until the trouble is removed and the displaced ramp set back to normal position The invention includes sthis feature broadly and also :-.the

means illustrating herein and hereinafter more fully described for accomplishing it.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, partly broken away, of my compressr ble ramp, together with a diagram of the electric switches and circuits operated thereby; Fig. 2 is a plan OI such ramp; Fig. 3 is a sideelevation of the ramp and portion of a vehicle carrying mechanism adapted to cooperate therewith; Fig. 4: is an end view of the ramp and the coiiperating portion on the vehicle; Figs. 5 and 6 are vertical-sec-- tions of the brake initiating device and the resetting device of a character which may be employed, if desired,on the vehicle; Fig. 6 is a vertical section of a portion of such a resetting device.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 41 inclusive, 1 represents the base of the ramp, which is adapted to be secured to the projecting ends of the ties outside of the rails. Rising from this base are lugs, designated 2, 3, 4: and 5, which serve as bearings for the ramp bars and operating shaft. The initiating ramp consists, as shown, of the two bars 6 and 7 pivoted to the lugs 3 and 5 and connected together by a pin and slot joint 8. This admits of the bars standing as shown in Fig. 1, to present a peak at the joint or of their being forced downwardly should an 7 obstruction engage them. The bars are-normally held elevated by a plunger 9, whichv has *a head 10 resting on a compression spring 11, This spring is contained within the bar 21 sliding at its free end in a guideway on the bearing 2. 'The rock shaft 23 furnishes means for raising the movable ramp 20,21, into the position shown in Fig. 1, and when such raising force ceases, these bars drop by gravity at their peak.

It will be seen that, with such a mechanism-as described, if the vehicle is equipped with:the=brake applying lever in line to engage the ramp .6, 7, and with the resett ng bers 17 and 18,

tively of lines 34 and leading from the lever in the position to engage the ramp 20, 21 that the brake will be invariably initiated when the vehicle passes over the track device but will become effective or not, according to whether the rock shaft 23 has been turned to safety position or is left in its dan er position; that is, the position where the ars 20 and 21 are down. Accordingly, this system operates normally'the same as that described in my specification #628,832 referred to.

The spring and plunger of the present invention operate to enable the normally stationary ramp to be automaticallydisplaced by any obstruction carried on the train, so that neither the obstruction nor the ramp will be broken. The obstruction engaging the ramp simply forces the same with the plunger downwardly, compressing the spring 11 and the spring reacting, restores the ramp bars to normal position. A tail 13 on the bar 7 limits the upward movement of the peak of the ramp under the action of the spring.

To prevent a wrong signal being given in case the ramp bars 6 and 7 should fail to return by reason of any jamming, breaking of the spring 11, or otherwise, I provide one or more electric switches-operated by the plunger 9 and connected with the electric signal system to throw the adjoining signals. This is illustrated in Fig. 1, wherein, in this view, '30 and 31 indicate track rails, 32 a main track magnet for controlling the signals, and 33 a battery therefor. When the magnet 32 is energized, its attracted arma ture is adapted to hold the signals at safety by suitable circuits and magnets, as will be well understood. When, however, there is a short circuit across the rails 30 and 31 between the magnet and battery, the magnet becomes deenergized and the signals go to danger. To establish such short circuit, when the plunger 9 is depressed, I provide within the casing 12 a pair of contact memwhich are terminals respecrespective rails, and I provide the plunger head 10 with a finger 36 adapted, when the plunger is lowered to ride out of a depression in the terminal 17 and force it into con- 1 tact with the terminal 18. Accordingly,

whenever the plunger is de ressed, the signal at the rear of the train or the signals at the rear and in advance'thereof, in the case of a single track road) are maintained at danger and only return to safety when the plunger returns to normal position. If the plunger should remain down, for any cause, the signal would remain at danger until the trouble is removed.

' To open the battery if the plunger 9 remains in its depressed position, I place insulation 19 in one of the rails, as 31, and I bridge this insulation by conductors 37 and 38 and terminals thereof 14 and 15, within the case 12 and an intermediate finger 16 carried by the plunger head 10. The normal position of this bridge about the insulation is closed, but, whenever the plunger is depressed, the bridge is broken between the terminals 14: and 15 so that the battery is opened.

It will be noticed that the head 10 on the plunger is slightly lower than the bottom of the base 1, so that, if the ramp bars were removed, the spring would force the plunger upwardlyslightly. This would break the circuit at the bottom 16 and would also establish a short circuit across the rails by reason of the finger 36 causing the terminals 17 and 18 to contact. Accordingly, a danger indication would be given by the adjoining signals; thus breakage of the ramp bars or surreptitious removal of them would be at once detected.

The casing 12 may conveniently be filled withoil having a low freezing point. The partition 39 in the casing which forms the lower bearing for the plunger is provided with holes 40 through it allowing the circulation of the oil and preventing any undesirable pressure. The switches being immersed in oil and operating only in case of emlergency will need attention at rare interva s.

It is to be understood that any suitable equipment may be employed on a locomotive having movable brake applying and resetting devices so positioned that they may engage the respective ramps. Figs. 6 and 5 illustrate one form of such devices taken from my application No. 628,832 referred to, these two views being vertical sections side by side of the lengthwise of the train. In Fig. 5, indicates an air valve casing having a plug 51 controlling the exit of the air under pressure in the pipe 52. This plug is normally held down by .a stiff spring 53 surmounted by a head 54 on which rides a bar 55 connected by a link 56 and a hook 57 with the operating lever 58. This lever is pivoted at 59 and its nose 60 is adapted to engage the ramp 6. Then its does so engage the lever is swung about its pivot and the lever hook 61 releases the hook 57, thus taking the pressure off the valve plug and releasing the air. The lever (Fig. 6) is arranged alongside of the lever 48 and pivoted coaxially, as indicated by 59*. The nose 71 of this lever is adapted to engage the movable ramp 20. When it does so engage, its upward movement shoving upwardly on the do 72, swings the lever 73 and rocks the shaft 1. This shaft, as shown in Fig. 5. has on it an arm 75 connected by a link 76 with a pin 77 on the bar 55. Accordingly, when the lever 70 is tipped upwardly by engagement with its ramp, the air valve previously opened at once reseated. An opening 80 in the lever and spring 81 hearing against the dog 72 allow excess movement of the lever after resetting the valve and prevent any jamming. A suitable pin 88 limits the downward movement of the lever.

When the valve is open by the mechanism of Fig. 5 and is not reseated by the mechanism of Fig. (i; that is, when the device stands at danger, the brake is actually applied. In that case, it is reseated by hand after the train comes to a stop. resenting mechanism is shown in Fig. 5 as a lever 85 connected with a plunger 86 which is adapted to bear on the top of the bar 55. A suitable spring 87 maintains this lever and plunger normally idle.

Having thus described my inventiomvvhat I claim is:

1. The combination with a vehicle equipment adapted to apply a brake, of a track device and mechanism for initiating the application of the brake on the vehicle, mechanism for preventing such initiation becoming effective adapted to be positioned to coact with the vehicle equipment, and mechanism operating therewith for enabling displacement, and causing automatic return of the track device.

2. The combination of a base, a pair of ramp bars jointed together and mounted near their ends on the base, a plunger and spring adapted to hold the bars in position to present a peak conjointly, and electric terminals controlled by the movementof the plunger.

3. The combination of a base, a pair of ramp bars jointed together and mounted near their ends on the base, a plunger and spring adapted to hold the bars in position to present a peak conjointly, a casing in which the plunger extends, and electric terminals within the casing controlled by the plunger. 1 i

4. The combination of a base plate, a pair of jointed arms constituting a ramp, said arms being mounted near their ends on the base plate, a casing on the under side of the base plate, a plunger for elevating the bars at their junction to form a peak, a spring within the casing tending to so move the plunger, and electric terminals Within the casing, one of which is adapted to be moved by the plunger.

5. The comb'nation with a locomotive equipment adapted togive a brake indication, of a movable ramp normally in active position for initiating the brake indication. means for automatically returning the ramp to active position when moved, and a movable ramp cooperating with the locomotive equipment and counteracting the brake indication.

6. The combination with a vehicle equipment adapted to give a brake indication, of

Such hand a normally stationary movable ramp adapted to cooperate with the vehicle equipment to initiate :a brake indication, a spring for returning the ramp to normal position when moved, and. a second movable ramp cooperating with the vehicle equipment to counteract the brake indication when in the proper position.

T. The combination with a vehicle equipment adapted to give an indication, of a normally stationary but displaceable ramp adapted to initiate the indication of the vehicle equipment, a movable ramp adapted to counteract the initiation of the indication of the vehicle equipment, a signal, and means connected with the first mentioned ramp for operating the signal when the ramp is displaced.

8. The combination with a vehicle device adapted to apply a brake, of a normally stationary but displaceable ramp cooperating with the vehicle device for initiating the brake application, a movable ramp cooperating with said device for preventing said brake application, and means operated by the displacement of the normally stationary ramp for giving an indication.

9. The combination with mechanism adapted to give a danger indication, of a normally stationary but displaceable ramp cooperating with said mechanism to initiate the indication, means for automatically returning the displaceable ramp to normal position when displaced, a second ramp cooperating with said mechanism for counteracting the indication, a signal, and means for operating the signal as long as the first mentioned ramp is displaced.

10. The combination with mechanism for applying a brake, of a ramp for initiating the application, a ramp for preventing the application, a spring tending to hold the initiating ramp in active position, a signal,- and means connected with the initiating ramp for operating the signal when the initiating ramp is displaced. 1

11. The combination of a ramp, a spring and plunger tending to hold the same above a horizontal position forming a peak and tending to return the same to again form such a peak after being flattened, an adjoining ramp, means for moving it to a similar position to present a peak or otherwise as desired, and brake applying and counteracting means on a vehicle each adapted to engage one of said ramps.

12. The combination of a danger indication initiating ramp stationary under normal conditions but displaceable under abnormal conditions, means whereby such displacement may give a danger indication, and a second ramp adjacent the first mentioned ramp adapted at times to counteract the dangerindication, such counteraction dependent upon safety or danger conditions.

13. The combination with a vehicle equipment, of a danger indication initiating ramp stationary under normal conditions but displaceable under abnormal conditions, means whereby such displacement may give a danger indication, an adjacent ramp adapted at times to counteract the danger indication such counteraction depending upon the safety or danger conditions.

14:. The combination, with a vehicle equipment, of a danger-indication initiating ramp, stationary under normal conditions but displaceable under abnormal conditions,

means whereby such displacement may actuate a danger indication, and an adjacent 15 In testimony whereof, I hereunto afiix my 20 signature in the presence of two Witnesses. ELMER M. JONES.

Witnesses:

CHAS. G. COWANS, NV. F. FRASER. 

